Dentist offering implant (£2000) rather than bridge (£190 on NHS)

[Deleted User]

Got a tooth with a crown that has been a problem for years. Dentist now says its got to go and implant is the best option.

Implant costs £2000 and is only available privately. Bridge would be available on NHS (and would cost £190). I asked why a bridge wouldn't be an option and the dentist said they are not as good and might come off and an implant is more permanent.

Interestingly, they didnt say no to the bridge. Makes me think they are being a little evasive because saying no would be a lie...

I am wondering whether the actual cost of the treatment is swaying it for the dentist. £2000 or £190. I know for a fact that they are not keen on NHS work (I think in the uk they are forced to do this).

Appreciate a bridge only lasts a limited time but £190 or £2000 is a bit of a difference....

brook2jack

Gold standard for replacing a missing tooth is an implant. There is no damage to the surrounding teeth and providing you are not a smoker or diabetic and take care of it it is probably the longest lasting solution.

A bridge means the teeth or tooth supporting will need to be drilled down (acid etch bridges do not require drilling but have a limited lifespan for most people) . Any tooth that is drilled has a reduced lifespan and eventually you may be looking at losing the tooth/teeth the bridge is attached to and end up with a bigger gap.

Most dentists will refer to an implantologist to do implant work, and dentists are obliged , ethically , to advise best solution for patient regardless of monetary considerations . Indeed a dentist working on the NHS would be regarded as being in breach if they did not discuss treatment options regardless of them being NHS or private.

[Deleted User]

brook2jack wrote: »

Gold standard for replacing a missing tooth is an implant. There is no damage to the surrounding teeth and providing you are not a smoker or diabetic and take care of it it is probably the longest lasting solution.

A bridge means the teeth or tooth supporting will need to be drilled down (acid etch bridges do not require drilling but have a limited lifespan for most people) . Any tooth that is drilled has a reduced lifespan and eventually you may be looking at losing the tooth/teeth the bridge is attached to and end up with a bigger gap.

Most dentists will refer to an implantologist to do implant work, and dentists are obliged , ethically , to advise best solution for patient regardless of monetary considerations . Indeed a dentist working on the NHS would be regarded as being in breach if they did not discuss treatment options regardless of them being NHS or private.

I agree but, if that is the case then why aren't implants available on the nhs? Probably because an expert panel has decided that the cost of an implant is excessive when compared to advantages over a bridge.

Appreciate it might be the best but then its like saying I want a car so I'd better get a Ferrari because its the best.

But yes, I get it, I just feel that it was a case of pushing for the best result for the dentist rather than the patient.

If price was only slightly different then fair enough. But more than 10x more? Hmmm. Not many people have £2000 floating around - I don't..

brook2jack

Implants are only available to those who have lost teeth through cancer,major trauma or congenital disorders where more than 6 teeth arte missing.

The cheapest way to replace any tooth is a denture and if financial gain was all that was motivating then that would be suggested as the only solution.

Implants are very expensive to place because the cost of training and equipment are very expensive and the increase in indemnity fees is very very expensive. Some years ago a colleague reckoned kitting out and training cost them £250,000. Just to buy the bits for a new implant system will cost £15,000 and most implantologists will pay an extra £10,000 to £20,000 a year indemnity.

In a NHS when we struggle to fund cancer treatments you really cannot justify spending £2000 to replace a tooth, even if it is the gold standard. To put into context the local restorative consultant has a total budget of £36000 a year to provide care which roughly translates to one cancer patient a year.

Many people , even on very limited means, prioritise spending on their dental health over other purchases eg latest phones. It is not for the dentist to decide what people may or may not want to spend money on but to present all reasonable choices NHS or otherwise.

Sephs

Have you shopped around? I paid £995 a few years back with another dentist as my own NHS dentist wanted a lot more. £995 was for a single implant and I think I paid a bit extra for a temporary crown whilst the site healed. Mine came with a 5 year guarantee.

It's now been around 7 years and I've had no issues whatsoever. Nobody knows I have an implant unless I tell them and it's totally solid. I recommend them to anyone who asks and it's definitely one of the best things I've ever bought. Some places do 0% finance which might be helpful if you decide to go for it.

ManofLeisure_2

I've recently paid £2,300 for a molar implant - a lot of money - but worth every penny. Hopefully it will see me out
Good Luck in whatever you decide

TimpHerbert

Question ?! Can 3 crowns be installed on joining teeth ?

silvercar

TimpHerbert wrote: »

Question ?! Can 3 crowns be installed on joining teeth ?

Yes. I have three crowns on a row. The middle one is on an implant, the back one on a tooth that was root filled years ago and the front one on a recently root filled tooth. they all sit separately.

pearl123

An implant won't necessarily take. It could be a waste of money. Sorry to be gloom and doom but it's a lot of money.

Toothsmith

pearl123 wrote: »

An implant won't necessarily take. It could be a waste of money. Sorry to be gloom and doom but it's a lot of money.

They're pretty reliable now - and if someone is in a high-risk failure category, this should easily be picked up at the initial examination stages, so the patient could decide then whether to go ahead or not.

brook2jack

There are several factors that affect implant success.

Smoking ,the loss rates for smokers are much higher
Diabetes, the loss rates for diabetics are higher
Grinding or clenching , as you have no “feel” in an implant they can break
Gum disease, the biggest cause of loss of implants

They are not fit and forget and need careful cleaning and maintainance . Over their lifespan some components may need replacing.

However in the right person, who looks after them, they have a very long potential lifespan.